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Now comes the hard part for the Jazz.
Sustaining what they started last spring sounds simple, but actually isn't. Much has been made of Utah's finish to the previous season, winning 19 of its final 29 games, turning in some electrifying performances in the process. Jazz players have seen the prognostications, the playoff predictions and the general props after putting it all together for a couple of months.
Opposing NBA teams have seen it, too.
That means the Jazz are sneaking up on absolutely nobody, something that's been apparent during the preseason. As the opener approaches on Wednesday night in Detroit, the Jazz know they have to deal with this. Teams are coming into games more prepared. They are scouting the Jazz better and they are adjusting to what Utah normally likes to do on both ends.
Because of this, the onus is on the Jazz to play well consistently to start the season. Wins in November won't be as forthcoming as they were in March and April.
"We've learned that stuff isn't going to come easy for us this year," Jazz power forward Derrick Favors said. "Last year we were able to creep up on people and surprise some people. Now, I think people are going to be ready for us and they are going to know what to expect. So we have to be prepared for that, and we have to be focused at every step."
So how did the preseason go for Utah?
Up and down is probably the most accurate description. At their best, the Jazz have been impressive on both ends of the floor. Against the Portland Trail Blazers last Sunday, they showed hints of how explosive the offense can be with spacing and ball movement.
Defensively, the Jazz haven't yet sustained the pace they exhibited late last season, but a significant portion of that can be attributed to coach Quin Snyder experimenting with different lineups. Still, there have been spurts where the defense has created issues for the opposition, forced turnovers and converted those turnovers into easy buckets on the other end.
The Jazz know they have to be precise in order to reach their ultimate goal of making the postseason. They know that the Western Conference is quite unforgiving, which means they don't have the luxury of taking a night off.
"Obviously, we want to get into the playoffs," point guard Trey Burke said. "But we know that takes sacrifice, a lot of work and concentration. We know that we can't do some of the things that we did last year, like go on a nine game losing streak. A lot of that began with how we started games and we can't let that happen this year."
Slow starts are still a concern for the Jazz. Offensive spacing, too. Take Tuesday night's loss to Oklahoma City, for example. Utah came out slow on both ends, failed to adequately defend Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant and soon the Jazz were looking at the business end of a 20-point deficit. Utah came back and made a game of it in the fourth quarter, but by that time it was too late. The hill to climb was too steep.
This happened too often last season, especially in November and December. And it can't happen, if the Jazz want to make the postseason. Preseason concerns also include struggles from Favors and Rudy Gobert, as well as times when the offense grinds to a halt.
But a solid win over the Denver Nuggets in Thursday's preseason finale should ease some of that angst. Gobert — who appeared fatigued throughout camp from summer league competition — scored 14 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, had three assists and blocked two shots in the win over Denver. Favors was active on both ends as well.
"I thought I played well," Gobert said about his performance against the Nuggets. "We have to have the same intensity and communication every game and we had it [Thursday]. Now we have to have it for the next 82 games."
The Jazz are still tinkering with lineups and combinations, Snyder said. That should last through the first month or so. Still, if the Jazz have learned through the preseason what it takes to be successful in the NBA, that should be considered a win for Jazz fans everywhere. —
Recapping the Jazz's preseason
The record • Utah finished 3-4 through seven games. It probably should've been 4-3, but Utah all but surrendered a victory last Sunday against Portland by playing its backups in the fourth quarter
Who stood out • Rodney Hood and Alec Burks have distinguished themselves with their all-around scoring and playmaking ability. Trey Burke has played awfully well in the last week at the point guard spot.
Coming up • The regular season begins next week against the Detroit Pistons on the road. Utah plays its first three games away from EnergySolutions Arena. —
Jazz at Pistons
Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.
TV • ROOT Sports